Mormon Crickets (Anabrus simplex)

Maybe not so scary in small numbers (like 1) but it is not uncommon to come across really large numbers of these insects in the American West. The danger occurs when driving over hundreds of them creating squished bodies that cause the equivalent of an oil slick. I recall driving over an abundance of Mormon crickets on a hill in Wyoming and my tire spinning once or twice. A friend told me a few minutes ago that in Idaho cars often slide, and sometimes crash, on certain roads and at certain times of the year because of these huge crickets.